


Lost

by Peryton



Series: Shielded Heart [5]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-10
Updated: 2016-05-10
Packaged: 2018-06-07 16:40:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6813841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peryton/pseuds/Peryton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Another day at the office for Maria Hill. Continuation from the Crimson and Cobalt soulmate AU fic, although they don’t have to be read in order.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Maria once again found herself doing a job that was above her paygrade and almost out of her clearance level, but one of the main tasks heading a homeland defence agency is delegation and never let it be said that Fury wasn’t excellent at his job. Maria was at yet another meeting too boring for Fury to attend, this time liaising with the military and a few politicians that always somehow needed to know what was going on, even though the whole point of a secret government agency was to… well, these days it seemed their main objective was to clean up messes and think up reasons why they should still get money to build helicarriers even though they keep getting destroyed embarrassingly frequently.

Maria had already done the spiel about the importance and necessity of S.H.I.E.L.D.S. work, managing to keep her face blank while she cursed the fact that Fury had sent her in his place, knowing Fury he’d just have given an impassioned speech about keeping the wolf from the door and protecting the innocents that would have everyone’s patriotic flag flying. Maria meanwhile was having to listen to Osborne pick apart the facts and statistics and hear about why everyone disagreed with what S.H.I.E.L.D. were doing, and how they were doing it, all the while frantically wishing someone provided adequate coffee at these things.

Maria stared at the concrete walls of the bunker-quality room the meeting was being held in and tried to quell her unease at the lack of natural daylight in the room, one of the generals had caught wind of a hit out on him and as a result had been avoiding anywhere he might be taken out with snipers. Maria had argued against this location, S.H.I.E.L.D. knew enough about protecting high profile assets to choose somewhere that would be difficult for a sniper to hit, and could have posted agents on the outside. But then Maria was probably one of the only ones at this table who had spent any time in cells and felt trapped in this windowless box -well, apart from one of the politicians if the rumours were to be believed. Maria had considered asking Natasha if she knew the truth about him but sometimes it was easier –and less scary- to not open that line of questioning with her, especially if Maria wanted to be able to look him in the eye again.

Senator Stivak was in the midst of proposing a military run defence team that didn’t rely so much on secrets or superheroes -Maria could practically taste the bile in his voice when he mentioned Captain America- when Maria noticed the strange vapour curling through the vents of the room they were in. Maria immediately jumped up and drew her gun, which only served to alarm the military personnel who were also carrying weapons, the few S.H.I.E.L.D. agents with her were the only thing that stopped me from being killed by the people on our side even as the enemy was at our door.

Maria tried to block the vents and stop the gas but as the room was windowless there were numerous small vents to provide clean air flow and it soon became clear that it was futile. Maria eyed the vents critically; none of them were large enough to make an escape out of, even if they hadn’t been pouring out the debilitating smoke. While Maria was struggling with the vents one of S.H.I.E.L.D.S. agents tried the door but it was barred, Maria’s mind went to the agents stationed outside the room and took comfort in the fact that they hadn’t heard shots, maybe they had also been knocked out by the gas. Although considering the thickness of the walls it was unlikely Maria would have heard shots fired outside the room anyway.

It didn’t take long for the gas to fill the room and for the occupants to start feeling the effects, most of the people in the room had already passed out. Maria could feel every breath burning as she drew it into her lungs, the little oxygen she was able to get was tainted, making her lightheaded.

Finally the door to the room opened, Maria had bemoaned the lack of escape route when Fury had told her where this meeting was to be held but people with more clout than me had argued for its easy defensibility. Something that didn’t mean much now with only a few of them still on their feet, and Maria’s vision burry and hands shaking as she took aim at whoever was coming through the door.

Maria fired as soon as she saw the black masks, a few went down before they were able to return fire, they probably thought everyone in the room would have been downed by now Maria thought through the fog rapidly enveloping her brain, assuming that explained their slow reaction time.

The darkness obscuring Maria’s vision every time she blinked was getting longer; Maria could feel her body slowing down, movements sluggish. Maria blinked again and the next time Maria opened her eyes she was face down on the floor, arms awkwardly tied behind her. Maria couldn’t see anything other than a few pairs of heavy combat boots in her line of vision and a few other downed agents, all restrained and seemingly unconscious.

“She’s not Fury but she’s his second, could be a good bargaining chip.” A voice from above brought Maria back to the present, Maria focused on breathing in the now clean air, attempting to clear her fuzzy head.

One of the pairs of boots in front of Maria walked closer to her prone body and Maria fought against the lethargy weighing her limbs down and managed to turn over, looking up at their unmasked faces for the first time.

“What do you want to gain here?” Maria asked the blonde haired man who seemed to be in charge. “You have a better chance of negotiating with S.H.I.E.L.D. if you let me contact them, if I’m your mediator.”

He looked back at Maria disinterestedly.

“You can’t do anything for us that we can’t do ourselves.” One of the men behind Maria said angrily. “It’s time you learned that S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn’t hold all the power here, that you have no power over us.”

“Easy Drake, I think her being bound and at our mercy already gives her that impression. This is just the famous bravado yes?” A musclebound man who gave of the unmistakable air of ex-mercenary said.

“You would have been better off feigning sleep Maria, but there was no way you could go down without fighting was there?” The blonde haired man spoke finally.

“You know my name?”

“Who doesn’t know your name?” He said amused, “For a spy agency you really don’t keep secrets all that well do you.”

“Well if you know who I am it’s only fair to return the favour-”

“Enough of this.” Drake spoke up again, cutting Maria off. “Belkin shut her up.”

Maria struggled to right herself, to defend herself against the person she could hear approaching from behind but before Maria could react a thick arm wrapped around Maria, holding her in place, and the last thing she felt before her mind slipped into darkness was a needle pressing into the skin of her neck.

Maria came back to consciousness suddenly, jerking upright from the hard floor and trying to make sense of her surroundings through the blindfold around her eyes. Maria quickly realised that her captives had bound her feet together as well as her hands since she was last conscious. Maria cautiously tested the length of the bond between her feet and heard the clinking of a chain as it stretched as far as it could go, which was barely half a foot.

“Don’t even bother.” A bored voice said. “You’ll only hurt yourself.” The owner of the voice pulled Maria to her feet and directed her through the twisting corridors of the building, tugging her forward by her arm when she was too slow on chained feet.

The blindfold was roughly pulled from Maria’s face and she blinked at the sudden onslaught of light from the corridor, the unexpected brightness blinding her eyes.

Maria focused on her last good memory, her last memory of Natasha, the redhead smiling as she pulled Maria from the warmth of their bed, mocking her being a cuddlehog and promising she would see her soon. Maria closed her eyes and concentrated on that image as she was pushed forward into the dark room in front of her, stumbling to remain upright.


	2. Chapter 2

It doesn’t take long before the news reaches S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Fury is informed as soon as the possibility is raised by one of his aides and seconds later the Black Widow is storming down the corridor, her usually fluid and graceful movements tense.

“This better not be true Fury.” Natasha all but snarls, her worry easily blurring into rage.

“Black Widow. This really is exemplary work, maybe I should put you in line for a raise, tell me, just how did you hear about this so soon?”

“You’re going to tell me what you plan to do about this and I’m going to tell you why it won’t work, and then we’re going to go get Maria.”

Natasha advances on the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. determinedly and half a dozen agents raise their weapons at her all at once, a small part of Natasha’s brain praises their efficiency, Maria’s constant threat drills have improved their reaction time considerably. But then she remembers Maria, remembers the last time she saw her was this morning when Natasha had promised to see her in the next few hours after her meeting, that she had flirted and suggested she would reward Maria for going to this meeting she didn’t want to go to in a way that would be against all the work regulations and seriously breach the fraternisation rules at S.H.I.E.L.D., soulmate forms or no and Natasha knows that this is something too important to let the threat of violence against her dictate her moves. Fury waves his hand exasperatedly at the agents with their weapons drawn and they drop them awkwardly, most in the area still eying the Black Widow with a nervous distrust and Natasha makes a note of who seems to be the most trigger happy.

Natasha quickly moves on from cataloguing the agents around her and levels her glare at one of the few people she trusts at S.H.I.E.L.D. and waits for him to tell her everything. Fury seems to be holding his own, staring back at the Black Widow without flinching at the barely masked emotions and promised violence evident in her eyes. Their stand-off is enough to make most of the agents present mutter poor excuses that neither of them listens to and hurriedly vacate the area. But then Fury sighs and his posture relaxes slightly, Natasha instantly does the same and Fury gestures for the Black Widow to read the files he had only just been given.

“You realise you can’t go in on this.” Fury said steadily, watching as Natasha focuses intently on the information about the attack.

Natasha breaks her concentration from the paper in front of her and looks up at Fury; the look in her eyes is enough to cause the few remaining agents still in the area to scatter instantly.

“It’s too close to you; working on this would be dangerous for the both of you.”

Natasha doesn’t make any movement, only glaring at his one eye until eventually Fury, with no outward sign of changing his mind sighs.

“Fine. But you’ll do exactly as the commanding agent says, you’re not the lead on this Romanoff and if you compromise the mission I will have you taken off the team.”

Natasha doesn’t even hear him, nothing he could do would be as bad as she feels now without Maria, without knowing whether she’s safe.

Natasha turns on her heel and hurries towards the tactical ops room where she knows agents are already gathering to track the movements of the group who had infiltrated the building where the meeting was being held and taken hostages. Taken Maria.

After nearly 18 hours of incompetent plans and listening to shoddy reports of a dozen agents’ analyses Steve Rogers appeared at the hub and attempted to drag Natasha away. Natasha only glared at her colleague when he announced he was taking Natasha to get some food.

“I am not hungry Rogers.” Natasha ground out, trying her best to ignore the person standing before her who as far as she could tell was doing his best to compromise the aims of her mission.

“Okay, then come and get some fresh air.” Steve responded.

Natasha raised her eyebrows at him in disbelief and turned back to the jittery agent who was giving her the latest report on the surveillance team’s attempt to track the mercenaries who had taken Maria.

“Natasha they need a break too, they’ve not and I know for a fact that at least three of the agents tasked with finding backgrounds on these goons have been contemplating peeing into a plant pot because you won’t let them have bathroom breaks.” Steve said, ignoring Natasha’s clear attempt at dismissing him.

Natasha glances back at the agents behind her, a number of which who appear to be squirming with more than just embarrassment under her gaze. “I never said they couldn’t go to the bathroom.”

“No, you said that no one leaves until you find out where Maria is being held and come up with a plan that isn’t completely asinine to rescue her.”

Natasha glared at him, her stance was completely reasonable and she didn’t see why he was against them, not when this was so important.

“I thought you wanted us to find her.” Natasha responds coldly.

“Of course I do, but you need to let them leave the room occasionally, at the very least they need to fuel their bodies with caffeine so they can keep up.”

Natasha looks at the team who are trying their best to ignore the conversation happening in front of them but their near cowering when Natasha’s gaze falls on them isn’t in keeping with their attempts to appear immersed in their work.

“This isn’t helping Maria.” Steve said gently and Natasha allowed him to pull her from the room, the relief in the eyes of the other occupants of the room convincing her to leave, at least for a little while.

Natasha let out a breath and looked back at Steve who was watching her with concern.

“Fine.” She responded quietly to her friend before raising her voice and addressing the rest of the room, “But I will be back here in thirty minutes and everyone better be here ready to do their jobs when I return. And someone requisition a coffee maker for this room.”

The two leave the room, quickly followed by a number of agents heading towards the nearest bathroom when Natasha realises Steve is taking her towards the canteen and stops abruptly.

“It’s not been thirty minutes Nat, you need to-”

“I’m not going back there, but I can’t eat. I have to be doing something.” Natasha responds agitatedly.

Steve nods and turns off from his intended route taking Natasha towards one of the training rooms.

The two enter a sparring ring and trade blows, Natasha is fighting without her usual grace and calculation, a ball of rage and uncontrolled fury, the years of training from the Red Room stripped away in the face of Maria’s loss.

Steve is landing hits that he knows Natasha should have blocked, that she could have blocked but she seems more intent on throwing everything she can at the soldier, disregarding any injuries she might receive herself in return.

Steve lands a brutal punch to her ribs, knocking Natasha on to the mat. Both of them are breathing heavily and have more than a few bruises between them.

“Come on.” Steve said pulling Natasha to her feet. “We’re going to find her.”

Natasha nods her face morphing back to the blank mask she had perfected years before, but this time there are cracks she can’t conceal and Steve can see the pain in the redhead’s eyes. They have to find her, Natasha can’t think about the alternative.

* * *

A kick to the ribs shocks Maria into consciousness, she moves away from the pain instinctively, trying to cradle her injured side she realises her hands are bound behind her back and the memories of what happened flood back. Maria looks up to find another masked figure standing over her, the blades in his hands still coated with her blood make the cuts coating her body sting anew.

“Have you learnt your lesson yet?” A familiar voice asks, his identity straining just on the edge of Maria’s memory.

Maria shakes her head trying to clear the blackness from her vision and the confusion from her head, feeling the blood from wounds to her face drip down and land on the already blood spattered floor.

“We’re not getting anything out of her. At least not tonight.” A bored voice cuts through the haze in Maria’s head. “Put her back in the cell and see how she feels after a few more days of this. If you really think you can get her to help us that is.”

“Oh, she’ll help; she just needs the proper motivation.” Maria heard the familiar voice respond before another needle pierced the skin of her neck and Maria sank back into the welcoming darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

Natasha stalked out of the ops room before she was pulled off the team altogether by Fury for injuring a fellow agent. At least now they had an idea of who was behind this, Natasha was seething at the incompetence of whoever had vetted the people at the meeting Maria had attended, Natasha’s usual ironclad control had nearly been broken in the room, her anger at the discovery had almost caused her to lash out at the bearer of the news. It was clear now that one of the attendees of the meeting was behind the attack, this breakthrough had brought them a huge step closer to tracking the team behind the attack, but they still didn’t know where Maria was being held.

Natasha shut her eyes and willed herself to focus on the connection she had always felt when Maria was near, the bond between them felt weaker, Natasha told herself that it was her own fears about Maria that was blocking her, or the physical distance now between them. That sometimes she had felt similar to this while away from Maria on missions for S.H.I.E.L.D.

Maria was fine, Natasha thought to herself, she had to be fine. They were still linked, tied together through the bonds that being soulmates had forged between the two of them. But the worry Natasha felt didn’t abate, and she only found her anxiety growing as she allowed herself to think about what had happened to Maria.

* * *

Maria swore softly as the skin on her wrist tore under the rough metal instead of the ties that kept her hands behind her back. Maria leaned against the wall sighing in exasperation, frustrated that in the attempt to escape the ties all that she had accomplished was succeeded in breaking her skin while the bonds remain intact.

Heavy footsteps alerted her to the guard’s presence at the door, Maria tensed before the door swung open and he stepped inside, followed by the man who had been behind the attack on everyone at the meeting.

Maria glared defiantly at the man who stood confidently by the door, still half concealed by darkness, his large form blocking out what little light made its way into her cell from the hallway while the guard stood to attention beside him, stance assured and one hand resting on the gun at his belt.

“Have you had any time to think about the offer?” Stivak said, seeing who she had thought to be working for the same goals as S.H.I.E.L.D. betray them all caused Maria’s anger to surface but she held her tongue and said nothing, weighing up her options.

“Finally learned to hold your tongue Hill? Pity, I had hoped you would see reason.”

Maria managed to rise awkwardly to her feet, wincing at the stab of pain that raced through her ribs at the movement.

“Well if you’re not going to be of any use for us I see no reason to keep you around.” Stivak said disappointedly before turning to leave.

Maria rushed towards the Stivak, the guard was caught by surprise but she still had her hands bound and wasn’t able to subdue him with her usual competency.

Before Maria had a chance to regain her balance pain seared through her and her vision blurred, she turned her head to see Stivak holding onto a knife still hilted into her shoulder. He withdrew the blade and Maria slumped to the floor, unable to focus on anything but the bright crimson rapidly flowing from her wound.

* * *

They finally had a lock on Maria’s location, Natasha was in her tac suit before Mason had even finished debriefing the rest of the team, they were currently on route in one of S.H.I.E.L.D.S. completely obvious undercover tactical vehicles and Natasha concentrated on going over the plan of attack before they arrived.

But for the first time she could remember Natasha had trouble focusing on the mission directives, Natasha looked up at the clear blue cobalt of the sky and couldn’t help but think about Maria’s blue eyes, hoping she will be able to see them again soon.

“Two minutes.”

The count had Natasha snapping back from her reverie and she focused on the mission ahead, trying her best to avoid thinking about Maria, the mission needed her full attention if it was going to have any hope of success.

At the gates Natasha slipped round the guard posts easily, her fluid grace signalling the return of her singlemindedness on the mission at hand. The Black Widow managed to take out the guards with minimum effort and the rest of the team quickly followed her into the building that held Maria.

There weren’t many guards inside, they knew from their intel that this was merely a holding area, none of the leaders of the organisation were expected to be here. Natasha half wished they would be so they would realise what a mistake they had made when they took Maria from her.

They had taken some of the other higher up attendees of the meeting Maria had been at too, it remained to be seen whether they were also involved in the plot or had been turned after being captured. Natasha didn’t let that bother her; she wasn’t interested in anything other than finfing Maria and bringing her home.

Natasha’s team turned a corner and quickly neutralised the mercenaries she found there with ruthless effectiveness leaving their prone bodies for her team to restrain while she moved further into the building.

 Natasha rounded the corridor towards what looked like cells, quickening her pace to reach the first closed door before what she saw there made her heart stutter in her chest.

* * *

Maria gradually became aware of a dull pressure on the back of her shoulder and snippets of a frantic conversation.

She slowly opened her eyes and the face Maria had been dreaming about appeared in front of her, she would have thought it was a dream if not for the spy’s expression, the brunette had never seen her so worried. Maria hadn’t thought it was possible for the Black Widow’s eyes to look so haunted.

Natasha grabbed Maria’s body, pulling the brunette against her. Maria could feel Natasha trembling against her, she tried to comfort the redhead but it was difficult with her hands still bound, the best she could do was lean down, letting her body rest against the super spy’s shorter frame and murmuring repeated assurances that she was all right into her hair.

Maria realised the pressure on her back was from one of the agents cleaning and binding the injury she had received from Stivak, the agent moved away from her and Natasha with the remnants of the first aid kit, joining a few other agents at the door of her cell who were keeping a respectful distance from the two women. Maria nodded at them, signalling for them to continue clearing the area and all but one left, the one remaining looked out into the corridor and focused on watching for any straggling mercenaries who might try to fight rather than flee.

“I nearly lost you.” Natasha whispered into Maria’s neck, clutching Maria even tighter to her body.

Natasha breaks the hold she has on the brunette and Maria can’t control a shiver the loss of the redhead provokes in her, but Natasha keeps contact with Maria, supporting her while she swiftly cuts the bonds holding Maria’s arms even as Maria teeters against her, unable to find her balance without the redhead’s arms around her. Once the numbness in Maria’s arms lessens and she has control of her limbs again she pulls Natasha back towards her and holds the other woman close to her.

“You’ll never lose me.” Maria murmurs quietly to Natasha, knowing the redhead has heard her when her grip increases.

“Black Widow, agent Hill, we have transport ready and a med team on standby.” A voice at the door interrupts the two of them and Maria reluctantly lets go of the redhead enough to move towards the exit.

Maria struggles to move through the corridors, the injury to her ribs is jarred with every step she takes and she feels where the knife entered her shoulder as clearly as if it was still in her flesh. Natasha glares at the agent who holds out an arm for Maria to help her to the evac point and he quickly moves ahead, scouting the already cleared way for them. Maria turns to look Natasha ready to tell her off for scaring the help and is met by the redhead’s passionate gaze and shocked into silence as Natasha picks her up, careful not to jostle any of her wounds.

“You should have told the medic about your ribs.” Natasha says roughly as she carried Maria towards the exit point.

“We’re heading back to S.H.I.E.L.D. now, they can take a look. There wasn’t much she could do in the field anyway.” Maria said letting her head fall against Natasha’s chest and breathing in the other woman’s scent.

Natasha laid Maria gently down on the stretcher in the chopper, much to Maria’s annoyance.

“Let me into the seats, I don’t need to lie down.”

“Quiet or I’ll strap you in too.” Natasha teased but the emotions in the redhead’s eyes had Maria resisting her impulse to argue.

“I’m okay Nat.” Maria said quietly, taking the redhead’s hand in her own.

“I…”

“I’m fine, I promise, it’s just the injury to my shoulder and bruised ribs.”

“And the cuts all over your arms. I will kill whoever did this to you.” Natasha all but growled out.

“They’re just superficial.” Maria said soothingly staring into Natasha’s emotion filled eyes.

Natasha let out a brittle laugh and gripped Maria’s hand harder. “I should be the one comforting you.”

“You are, believe me. You’re all I thought about -when I wasn’t planning my brilliant escape anyway.” Maria said smiling at the spy.

“I think we might need to go over what makes a brilliant escape if yours leaves you with a stab wound in your back bleeding out in a cell.” Natasha said, trying for playful but the worry and pain till swirling in her eyes doesn’t get past Maria, even with the pain meds they gave her.

They soon land at S.H.I.E.L.D. and Maria is allowed after much glaring at Natasha to enter the building on her own two feet.

“I need to go to debriefing.” Maria says as soon as she realises Natasha is leading her down the wrong set of corridors.

“Debriefing? You’re going to medical and then home with me.” Natasha says resolutely.

“I need to tell Fury about Stivak-”

“We already know about him.”

“Do you know he’s in something called the Corporation and-”

“Yes.”

“Well there’s still information he told me personally that could-”

“Maria.” Natasha says warningly.

Natasha gets her way, Maria is too tired to fight her and she can feel the mild pain relief the field agent gave her when they retrieved her wearing off and knows that those ribs are cracked at the very least. Maria does not look forward to Natasha finding out she lied to her about the extent of her injuries.

Natasha hovers near her the whole time, not letting her out of her sight and glaring at any medical staff who dare to get too close to Maria without Natasha knowing what they are doing.

Maria would laugh but right now she needs this, she needs to know Natasha is there, that she made it back to her. Natasha’s eyes move from glaring at the latest nurse attempting to check Maria’s bandages and meets Maria’s blue gaze. Natasha’s eyes soften the instant their gaze locks and Maria can feel herself getting lost in the green eyes in front of her.

Natasha moves closer, her gaze locked on Maria’s and Maria becomes gradually aware that the medical staff have finally given up with their poking and prodding of her various injuries and are leaving the two of them alone.

“See, there wasn’t too much for them to do, there’s still time for me to make the debriefing.” Maria says, almost stumbling over her words, her world zeroing down to the green eyes advancing towards her.

Natasha grabs Maria before she can move from off the hospital bed and crushes their lips together, Maria moans into the redhead’s mouth, taken aback by the passion in Natasha’s kiss. Natasha grips Maria’s hips then with noticeable effort releases them, making her hands rest gently on Maria’s body, her fingers caressing the skin beneath them as the redhead breaks the kiss and lets her head fall against Maria’s uninjured shoulder.

“I was so scared.” Natasha breathes out against Maria’s skin, her hands still clutching at the brunette before her.

“I’m fine Nat, I’m right here.” Maria relaxes into the feel of Natasha.

“I love you. So much.” Natasha’s voice breaks as she holds onto Maria, lifting her head to stare into the brunette’s cobalt eyes as she tries to express how much Maria means to her.

“I love you too.” Maria brings her hands up and pulls Natasha even closer to her. “I love you.” Maria rests her forehead against Natasha’s and the two breathe in each other’s air, never wanting to let the other go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This may be the last in this series, Masks and Crimson & Cobalt were really the only two I had the idea of originally, First Date was just there because I wanted to have them ‘get together’ before Masks. Although I will probably write some more for this pairing at some point, I have a few ideas for some other fics for them that aren’t soulmate AU. (Not that this series has really been hugely soulmate orientated except the first one)


End file.
